Improvement in pipe-tongs



Fm n. MERRILL.

Pipe Tongs.-

Patented Maj 20. 1873.

" Witnesses I Znuezziafi mux z ww-z l PHOTO-LITHOGIMFHICCQ.NYMSBORNEPRDCESS UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

FRANK H. MERRILL, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PlPE-TONGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 139,174, dated May 20, 1873; application filed March 19, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. MERRILL, of San Francisco city and county, State of California, have invented an Improved Pipe- Tongs; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawing are suflicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My improvement in pipe-tongs consists in the employment, with a serrated sliding bit or chisel in the head of the movable jaw of the tongs, of a detent-pawl, for the purpose of holding the bit in the desired position, and releasing the same by opening the'handles of the instrument.

In order to more fullyillustrate and explain my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side view with the tongs open. Fig. 2 is a View with the tongs closed. Fig. 3 is a front view of the sliding bit or chisel enlarged.

A represents the stationary jaw of a pair of pipe-tongs, the extremity of which is hooked so as to receive the pipe to be held in the angle thus formed. The movable jaw B can be attached to the jaw A by either a single or double joint, as desired, and is shorter than the jaw A. In the extremity of the jaw B a square opening is made at a slight angle to the shank of the jaw A, and in this opening I place a sliding bit or chisel, G. This chisel, when thus placed, will stand in such a position that its sharpened end at will point toward the angle in the hooked jaw A. The under side of this chisel O is provided with ratchet-teeth, and a pawl is secured in a slot below it, so that its point will engage with the teeth of the ratchet thus formed. A spring, h, presses against the forward end of the pawl, so as to keep it engaged with the teeth of the ratchet, while the opposite end of the pawl extends outside of the jaw so as to form a thumbJeVer, t, by lifting which the pawl will be released from the ratchet. This thumb lever is long I enough to be operated by the bend in the sta- The chisel can be advanced toward the sta: tionary jaw, so as to accommodate small pipe,

by simply pushing it forward with the hand. A bar with a cutting-roller in its end can be substituted for the chisel when it is' desired to cut off the pipe.

By this arrangement the chisel can be adjusted almost instantly to pipe of different sizes. The chisel can be readily removed and sharpened when desired, and it will be convenient in many instances for the person using the tongs to carry one or more extra chisels, so as to replace the one in use in case it should become injured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The jaw A, in combination with the jaw B, having the sliding chisel 0, arranged to be released by the pawl 12 when the jaws are opened,

substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth. V

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

FRANK .H. MERRILL. [L. s.] Witnesses:

JOHN L. 130mm, 0. M. RICHARDSON. 

